Worn-Out Words and Phrases: Resolving to Keep Writing Fresh in 2018

A new year once again draws near. For us grammarians and careful writers, the last 12 months have been another insightful and adventurous journey through the rules, styles, and techniques that help form concise and expressive American English.

As loyalists to the written word, we aim to communicate with precision and originality. We also look to uphold the integrity of proper English usage. Language, like culture, passes through trends that invite new elements to shake up the norm. Some elements have the substance to last. Others become feeble and faded with use and warrant policing from those who can help put a stop to their loitering. Together, we can keep written English more vivid by weeding the stragglers out.

We welcome and appreciate feedback in helping to reinforce style and usage. The following entries into our worn-out words and phrases came from responses we received from our readers during the last few months.

Original

Problem Beyond Overuse

Alternatives in Careful Writing

on a daily/weekly basis
(prep. phrase)

wordy

daily, weekly

going/moving forward
(adv. phrase)

inaccurate idiom meaning in continuance

in the future, from here, from now on

most importantly
(adv. phrase)

incorrect usage as adverb

most important (adj), above all

I feel like (verb clause)

subjective insertion before a statement
(e.g., I feel like the book is too long)

(strike as unnecessary)

bad optics
(noun phrase)

“buzz” phrase pertaining to the public’s view of something through the media

bad perception, bad impression

ubiquitous (adj)

big-word-itis (a clinical condition)

all over, all around, everywhere

proactively (adv)

often redundant modification of an action in progress (e.g. proactively seeking)

As always, we acknowledge some of these may remain common in speech, where they often reinforce comfort and a connection to what’s current. They also maintain a conversation’s natural flow, which doesn’t always provide the pauses for reflection and selection that writing affords.

On that note, let’s resolve to continue polishing English to a shine in 2018. By wiping away words and phrases that dull what should be vibrant writing, we can make the language an even brighter way to persuade, inform, and inspire.

Posted on Wednesday, December 20, 2017, at 9:33 am

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I hear another phrase that is not only being overused, but it wrong: “Pushing the envelope.” The phrase is really “Pushing the edge of the envelope.” As Tom Wolfe pointed out in “The Right Stuff,” the envelope refers to the atmosphere that surrounds the earth. After WWII, airplane manufacturers were building planes that could fly at extreme heights where the atmosphere is extremely thin making it difficult to support the aircraft. Test pilots tried flying the planes higher and higher into the upper regions of the atmosphere, thus pushing the edge of the envelope.

I am pleased that you have attacked the incorrect usage of important, which has been replaced with importantly. Does this mean that grammar is dying? Is it a part of the millennials’ destruction of grammar, words, and punctuation? More important, are we experiencing a change in language?

Our belief is that grammar isn’t dying, but rather always evolving. Together with our audience, we aim to keep current with that progression while helping to maintain the core grammatical principles that keep English clear, concise, and eloquent.

I receive your newsletter and find it to be helpful and informative. I have a suggestion for topics that you can cover. There are two phrases that I’ve heard repeatedly that deserve some attention. The first is that I’ve heard more and more people saying, “all the sudden.” I’ve even seen this in print! Secondly, I’ve heard people say, “for all intensive purposes” (which is clearly incorrect). It would be nice if you would set the record straight! Thank you.

I believe correct grammar never goes out of style! Writing and speaking any language is an art form. Every sentence, with the right grammar, flows. And it doesn’t hurt your ears! I’m not an expert in grammar but I do know how to use a dictionary.

It does make sense to have an opposite to undersigned, such as above signed, above-signed, or abovesigned. However, we do not see it in any official dictionary or online reference. If you use such a word, we imagine people would understand what you’re referring to.

Lots of my students write “first off” instead of “first.” They do not write “second off.”

On the news I hear “Take a listen.” It seems “listen” would do. However, it may be a British idiom because they say “Take a lie-down” while we “Take a nap.” Both “Take a listen” and “Take a lie-down” make a verb into a noun.

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